2021 届高三适应性考试试题 2021.5
英 语
第一部分 听力（共两节，满分 30 分）
做题时，先将答案标在试卷上。录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案
转涂到答题纸上。
第一节（共 5 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 7.5 分）
听下面 5 段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳
选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有 10 秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅
读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. Who are coming to the speakers’ house?
A. The man’s parents. B. Their friends. C. Some strangers.
2. What time is it now?
A. 8:25. B. 8:45. C. 9:00.
3. Why does the man want to change his personal style?
A. To be more professional. B. To be more fashionable. C. To be more casual.
4. What is Chris doing?
A. Cutting grass. B. Building a fence. C. Putting in a pool.
5. What does the man think he has reached?
A. His final goal. B. His maximum limit. C. His greatest moment.
第二节
听下面 5 段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选
项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小
题，每小题 5 秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出 5 秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第 6 段材料，回答第 6、7 题。
6. How does the girl feel about leaving the town?
A. Indifferent. B. Upset. C. Eager.
7. What’s the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Brother and sister. B. Father and daughter. C. Colleagues.
听第 7 段材料，回答第 8 至 10 题。
8. Which class did Tom attend today?
A. Physics. B. Geometry. C. Chemistry.
9. What do we know about Tom?
A. He knows little about the moon.
B. He is a first-year student in high school.
C. He shows little interest in the class.
10. Who is the woman in the conversation?
A. A scientist. B. Tom’s teacher. C. Tom’s mother.
注意事项
考生在答题前请认真阅读本注意事项：
1.本试卷满分 150 分，考试时间为 150 分钟。考试结束后，请将答题卡交回。
2.答题前，请将自己的姓名、考试号用 0.5 毫米黑色签字笔填涂在答题卡指定的位置。
3.选择题答案用 2B 铅笔在答题卡上把对应题目的答案标号涂黑，非选择题用 0.5mm 的黑色
签字笔在每题对应的答题区域内做答，在其他位置作答一律无效。
听第 8 段材料，回答第 11 至 13 题。
11. Why is the woman more tired than normal?
A. She slept too long.
B. She attended a boring meeting.
C. She was sitting for too long.
12. How does the woman usually like her coffee?
A. Cold. B. Bitter. C. Sour.
13. Where are the speakers going?
A. To a concert. B. To a baseball game. C. To a movie theater.
听第 9 段材料，回答第 14 至 17 题。
14. What does the man think he still has a problem with?
A. His nose. B. His head. C. His mouth.
15. Where are the speakers?
A. In a hospital. B. In a school lab. C. At a research center.
16. What will the man work out during the experiment?
A. His smell. B. His taste. C. His muscle.
17. What is the main topic of the conversation?
A. Taking new medicines. B. Using new treatments. C. Finding new senses.
听第 10 段材料，回答第 18 至 20 题。
18. What helped Dr. Osborn make her discovery?
A. That her photograph was unsatisfying.
B. That her photograph had special qualities.
C. That her photograph showed the strange shape of the fish.
19. How might the discovery be useful?
A. In making food. B. In making paint. C. In making cameras.
20. What is the talk mainly about?
A. A special light in the ocean.
B. A mystery on the blackest fish.
C. A new discovery of the super-black materials.
第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分 50 分）
第一节（共 15 小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 37.5 分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C 和 D 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Grand Canyon Park Ranger Programs
Guided Cedar Ridge Hike
7 am Daily
(Meet at the South Kaibab Trailhead)
A 3-mile (4.8 km) hike on an unpaved path. Allow 4 hours. Minimum 2 liters of water per
person. Bring salty snacks, sunscreen, and wear hiking shoes. Not recommended for people with
heart problems, or difficulty walking.
Fossil Discovery Walk
9 am Daily
(Meet at the Bright Angel Trailhead sign)
Walk among sea creatures that lived on this part of the continent 270 million years ago, before
the age of the dinosaurs. This easy 1/2-mile (0.8 km) one-way walk explores an exposed fossil bed.
Critter Chat
9:30 am Daily
(Meet at Grand Canyon Visitor Center)
Learn about some of the Grand Canyon’s diverse wild creatures who survive here in this place
of extreme changes in exposure and climate. Wheelchair accessible. Family friendly.
Geology Walk
3:30 pm Daily
(Meet at Yavapai Geology Museum)
Learn how the Grand Canyon formed while exploring Yavapai Geology Museum during this
short introductory talk. Why is it so deep, wide, and grand? Why does it exist only here and nowhere
else in the world? Consider walking the Trail of Time following the program.
Note: Children must be accompanied by an adult in all programs. All programs are free of charge.
21. What might you not experience in the programs above?
A. Go on an exhausting hike. B. Walk the Trail of Time.
C. Look for dinosaur fossils. D. Learn more about existing animals.
22. Which program is friendly to people with difficulty walking?
A. Guided Cedar Ridge Hike. B. Fossil Discovery Walk.
C. Critter Chat. D. Geology Walk.
23. Where do you meet for the program introducing the formation of the Grand Canyon?
A. At Yavapai Geology Museum. B. At the South Kaibab Trailhead.
C. At Grand Canyon Visitor Center. D. At the Bright Angel Trailhead sign.
B
When you look up and around, you are likely to be surrounded by architecture. Unique among
creative and artistic professions, architecture always reflects the age and culture that produced it.
Designing and building architecture takes time, money and cooperation. Architects work with dozens
to shape their buildings, and along this chain, a deeper and richer set of values are transmitted —
ones that define exactly how cultures see their world and how people see each other.
Beyond providing shelter, architecture becomes the stage set for our life. It’s the reason we feel
empowered on the roof deck of an 80-story building that is connected with a busy public square.
Communities form within architecture and take on their buildings’ characteristics. Architecture
connects to economics and the sciences, and the people that practice it can both be careful
technicians and poets of space and form.
Defining architecture only in terms of other professions does harm to it, and there is a lot of
knowledge within architecture that is separated from the practical concerns of building. Looking at
the built world critically, instead of considering it a set of established traditions, shows that
architecture is an entirely human creation, which can take nearly any shape we want it to. Patterns
we see everywhere don’t spring from wisdom about how things should look. They are actually the
result of special accumulations of cultural values, the materials available, economics, geographic
location and climate. Most of these factors are changeable, so while architecture changes slowly
compared to other artistic mediums, it still develops.
Architecture is futurism. Each time it offers a critique (评论) that suggests new ways to live,
work or play, it becomes a feat of world-building that makes it hard to distinguish from science
fiction. Architecture is interested in the future, and architects are trained to imagine the world not as
it is, but as it could be.
24. What’s special about architecture?
A. It helps people live at ease. B. It’s aimed at showing values.
C. It can reflect the culture clearly. D. It shows man’s wisdom directly.
25. What can we infer about architecture from Paragraph 2?
A. It makes us feel powerful.
B. It’s a great project for humans.
C. It’s connected with many aspects in life.
D. It provides a stage for other art forms.
26. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A. The world. B. The architecture.
C. The creation. D. The tradition.
27. What’s the text mainly about?
A. Why architecture is important.
B. How architecture affects the future.
C. How architecture reflects man’s talent.
D. Who regards architecture as a special art form.
C
The idea of billions of people going through a few masks a week during this pandemic
definitely rings alarm bells, but a team of researchers in Melbourne may have the solution.
They’ve discovered that adding millions of discarded face masks to road-paving ( 铺 路 )
mixtures would actually lower the cost of the road, while preventing billions of them from landfills.
Just one kilometer of road would need three million masks, and the polypropylene (聚丙烯) plastic
used to make single-use surgical face masks also increased the flexibility and durability of the road.
The new material is a mixture of about 2% torn masks, with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA)
— a material obtained from waste concrete and other minerals from destroyed buildings. This
recycled material was found in the study to be ideal for two of the four layers generally required to
create roadways. Paving a kilometer of two-way road with the RCA and three million face masks
would result in a change of 93 tons of waste from landfills.
The final product then is more resistant to wear than asphalt (沥青), as well as being cheaper
too, provided there was a method for collecting masks. The research team did a cost-analysis and
found that, at $26 per ton, the RCA was about half the cost of mining raw materials, and as much as
a third of the cost of shipping the used masks to a landfill.
The widespread application would be ideal for large infrastructure projects. For example,
Washington has the 11th worst roads in terms of unaddressed repairs in the U.S. If the damaged
roads in Washington state were repaired with the RCA/mask mixture, it would reuse nearly 10
billion masks, sparing American landfills hundreds of millions of tons of trash.
It’s said that the team is looking for private industry partners or governments willing to give
their plastic mask road an opportunity for a large-scale test.
28. What does the underlined word “discarded” mean in Paragraph 2?
A. Recycled. B. Produced.
C. Mixed. D. Abandoned.
29. What is the new material used to pave ways made of?
A. 2% torn masks, concrete and tons of trash.
B. Polypropylene plastic and building materials.
C. Single-use surgical masks and recycled concrete aggregate.
D. Waste concrete and other minerals from destroyed buildings.
30. Why are numbers mentioned in Paragraph 5?
A. To tell us what the team has found.
B. To prove this material is cost-effective in paving roads.
C. To explain repairing roads costs a lot of materials.
D. To praise the hard work the team has done.
31. What can we learn from the text?
A. The material used to pave roads is made of masks.
B. Generally speaking, it requires two layers to create roadways.
C. It remains to be tested whether the solution is practical.
D. The damaged roads in Washington were repaired with the RCA.
D
I live in a small studio. I sleep in a bed that folds down from the wall. I have six dress shirts. I
have 10 shallow bowls that I use for salads and main dishes. When people come over for dinner. I
pull out my extendable dining room table. I don’t have a single CD or DVD and I have 10 percent of
the books I once did.
I have come a long way from the life I had in the late 90’s, when, having made a fortune from
an Internet start-up sale, I had a giant house full of stuff — electronics and cars and appliances and
furniture.
Somehow this stuff ended up running my life, or a lot of it; the things I consumed ended up
consuming me. My life became unnecessarily complicated. There were lawns to mow, floors to mop,
a car to insure, wash, refuel, repair and register and tech to set up and keep working. Who had I
become? My house and my things were my new employers for a job I had never applied for. I started
to wonder why my theoretically upgraded life didn’t feel any better and why I felt more anxious than
before.
For me, it took 15 years to get rid of the things I had collected and live a bigger, better, richer
life with less.
I like material things as much as anyone. I studied product design in school. But my
experiences show that after a certain point, material objects have a tendency to crowd out the
emotional needs they are meant to support .I know the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that
relationships, experiences and meaningful work are the main parts of a happy life.
My latest project is to design thoughtfully constructed small homes that support our lives, not
the other way around. The house 1 design contains less stuff and makes it easier for owners to live
within their means and to limit their environmental footprint. My space is well-built affordable and
as functional as living spaces twice the size. I frequently have dinner parties for 12. I sleep better
knowing I’m not using more resources than I need. I have less-and enjoy more.
My space is small. My life is big.
32. Why does the author use a bed that folds down from the wall?
A. To save time. B. To save space.
C. To make the room neat. D. To sleep comfortably.
33. How did the author feel about his things in the late 90’s?
A. They were complicated. B. They were expensive to run.
C. They were a great burden. D. They couldn’t meet the daily needs.
34. What do we know about the house the author designs?
A. It is used for dinner parties. B. There is no stuff in the house.
C. It is larger than his studio. D. The space is actually larger than it is.
35. What is the best title for the text?
A. Living Better with Less B. Consuming Less to Save Money
C. Longing for the Good Old Days D. Building a Comfortable Living Space
第二节（共 5 小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 12.5 分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多
余选项。
Take a bottle of soda, and shake it really hard. Gas will form inside, causing a buildup of
pressure. Twist the cap off. Pressure will be released from the bottle, and soda will shoot
everywhere.
_____36_____ Pressure builds up inside a volcano as gas forms in magma (岩浆), which is hot
liquid rock beneath the surface of the earth. Gas bubbles in the volcano need to escape. When a
volcano erupts, magma is pushed up through the opening with great force. When magma reaches the
earth’s surface, it’s called lava (熔岩).
Some volcanic eruptions are explosive. Lava shoots into the sky. Gas and hot pieces of rock and
ash are also released. The intensity of an eruption depends on a few factors. One is the magma’s
temperature. Another is the magma’s thickness. _____37_____
Volcanic eruptions can cause other natural disasters. These include landslides, mudslides,
earthquakes and tsunamis. Volcanoes can be destructive. _____38_____ The Hawaiian Islands were
created by the eruptions of large low-lying volcanoes which are made up of layers of hardened lava.
_____39_____ Ash from volcanoes adds helpful minerals to soil. This helps plants grow strong.
Healthy plants produce oxygen for humans and animals to breathe. Volcanoes also remove heat from
the earth’s interior (内部), which helps keep our planet cool.
In recent years, a new benefit of volcanoes has surfaced. _____40_____ Their measures involve
using the heat beneath the earth’s surface to produce electricity.
Volcanoes may be unpredictable. However, as we learn more about how they work, they will
become even more important to life on the earth.
A. However, they can also create new land.
B. Volcanoes can become more dangerous.
C. A volcanic eruption works much the same way.
D. Scientists are using volcanoes to help power cities.
E. The amount of gas trapped inside is also an important one.
F. Volcanoes are threatening the life of people across the world.
G. Volcanoes have played an important role in shaping the earth.
第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分 30 分）
第一节（共 15 小题；每小题 1 分，满分 15 分）
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Last week, I drove to Joe’s Hardware to get a few items. Upon returning to my __41__, I
noticed a cat underneath and bent down to investigate. At this point, my wallet fell __42__ — but I
didn’t notice it was __43__ until about an hour later. I __44__ my steps, asked around and tore my
car inside out. Nothing. I lost my wallet.
After this fact sank in, I was about to call the bank and have them __45__ me a new credit card
when a little voice inside my head said, “Whoa! __46__. Someone must have picked it up. An
__47__ citizen, just like you. What would she or he do?”
So I __48__ and I was going to give it a day. Then, early that evening, I was surfing the Internet
for a new wallet when I heard a knock on the door. There was a man who I did not __49__. Could it
be?
After we exchanged __50__, he handed me my wallet. He found it in the parking lot, thought of
dropping it off at Joe’s Hardware but decided to drive over and return it __51__.
He told me his __52__, but I was overcome with emotion and cannot be 100% sure. I think it
was David. I offered him a cash reward __53__ he refused. He was just a regular guy doing the right
thing.
I’m grateful for having my wallet __54__. David, thank you for reinforcing my belief that there
are some good and __55__ people around.
41. A. bike B. home C. bank D. car
42. A. off B. through C. behind D. apart
43. A. broken B. empty C. stolen D. missing
44. A. recovered B. recorded C. retraced D. reduced
45. A. loan B. send C. show D. pass
46. A. Come on B. Cheer up C. Slow down D. Look out
47. A. honorable B. distinguished C. senior D. average
48. A. thought back B. looked back C. held back D. took back
49. A. doubt B. recognize C. admire D. remember
50. A. enquiries B. questions C. greetings D. congratulations
51. A. in order B. in time C. in person D. in turn
52. A. story B. hobby C. name D. job
53. A. however B. while C. although D. but
54. A. recovered B. released C. requested D. registered
55. A. decent B. courageous C. cautious D. humble
第二节（共 10 小题；每小题 1.5 分，满分 15 分）
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1 个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Sixty years ago, man firstly journeyed into outer space, __56__(symbolize) the start of outer
space explorations. __57__ decades of planning and construction went by, China possesses one of
the world’s major navigation satellite systems — the Beidou Navigation Satellite System.
Beidou is currently the country’s largest space-based system __58__ has ever been developed in
history. It reflects the high priority the Chinese government places __59__ the space research. The
research and development of a domestically built, space-based navigation and positioning system
were approved by the government in February 1994, China aiming __60__(reduce) the country’s
heavy dependence on foreign networks.
More than 300,000 scientists, engineers and technicians from over 400 domestic institutes,
universities and enterprises __61__(involve) in Beidou’s development and construction during the
past decades. In December 2012, Beidou began providing positioning, navigation and messaging
services for users in China and some parts of the Asia. At the end of 2018, it started offering global
services. Now, there are 30 third-generation Beidou satellites in space. Compared with previous ones,
the third-generation models feature __62__(surprise) accuracy and stability. Next, China
__63__(continue) improving the system’s capabilities and services. Not only does Beidou
demonstrate the determination of the Chinese people but also promotes pride in this __64__(consider)
achievement.
All countries have equal right to peacefully explore and develop outer space. China maintains
that international exchanges and cooperation should be strengthened on the basis of full
__65__(equal) and mutual benefit.
第四部分 写作（共两节，满分 40 分）
第一节（满分 15 分）
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友 David 热爱体育运动，他将作为交换生到你校学习。请你给
他写封邮件，内容包括：
1. 介绍学校体育课程及活动；
2. 推荐一项中国传统体育项目。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为 80 左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear David,
▲
▲
▲
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
第二节（满分 25 分）
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
When I was a child, I lived in a house with a beautiful garden full of different flowers, and
roses were the most beautiful of them. There was nothing I enjoyed more than sitting in the garden
with my mother, reading stories to me. When I was in primary school and old enough to read, I
enjoyed reading stories aloud to her.
I will never forget one day when I had been picked to be the princess in the school play. For
weeks my mother had practised my lines so hard with me. But however easily I acted at home, as
soon as I stepped, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She
explained that she had written a narrator’s (叙述者) part to the play, and asked me to change my role.
Her word, kindly expressed, still hurt, especially when I saw my part go to another girl.
I didn’t tell my mother what had happened that day. But she sensed my pain. Instead of
suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to take a walk in the garden.
It was May and roses were blossoming and, under the trees, we could also see yellow
dandelions (蒲公英) in the grass, as if a painter had painted our garden with red, yellow and green. I
watched my mother casually bend down by one dandelion.
“I think I’m going to dig up all these weeds,” she said, pulling it up by its roots. “From now on,
we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful — even dandelions.”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower is beautiful in its own way, isn’t it?” she
asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over.
“And that is true of people too,” she added. “Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no
shame in that.”
Realizing that she had guessed my pain, I started crying as I told her what had happened. She
listened and smiled reassuringly.
注意：
1.续写词数应为 150 左右；
2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
Paragraph 1:
“But you can make a good narrator,” she said with encouragement in her eyes.__________
▲
▲
▲
Paragraph 2:
After successful performance in the play, I took home the dandelion carefully.____________
▲
▲
▲
英语参考答案及听力录音材料
1—5 CBABB 6—10 CAABC 11—15 CBACA 16—20 ABACB
21—23 CCA 24—27 CCBA 28—31 DCBC 32—35BCDA
36—40 CEAGD
41—45 DADCB 46—50 CCDBC 51—55 CCDAA
56. symbolizing 57. After 58. that 59. on
60. to reduce 61. have been involved 62. more surprising
63. will continue 64. considerable 65. equality
Possible Version
Dear David,
I’m delighted that you will come to our school as an exchange student. Since you enjoy sports, I
would like to introduce the courses and a Chinese traditional sport.
Initially, there are two PE classes every week in which basic courses, including playing
basketball and running, are compulsory. Additionally, the school sports meeting is held annually,
which is well received. Eventually, I recommend you to learn Taichi, a traditional Chinese sport, for
practicing it regularly will help you stay fit physically and mentally.
Look forward to your arrival!
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
Possible Version
“But you can make a good narrator,” she said with encouragement in her eyes. It reminded me
of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her. Mother enlightened me that the narrator’s part was
equally crucial, whose wise words inspired me with courage and confidence. But on the point of the
performance, I suddenly felt nervous backstage again, my palms sweaty and kneels soft. Just then,
my teacher came over to me, handing me a dandelion from my mother. Looking at it, I knew my
mother was out there for me, which calmed me down.
After successful performance in the play, I took home the dandelion carefully. Upon arriving
home, I made the dandelion it into a dried flower. Witnessing what I was busy doing, my mother
watched me fondly and delightedly. With the well preserved dandelion, I participated in various
school plays, rehearsed different roles and made spontaneous speeches ever since. Gradually, I’ve
become really good at performing and public speaking, seldom feeling nervous onstage now. Every
time I see it, I am reminded of this unforgettable experience and the profound wisdom.
听力录音稿
Text 1
M: Who did you say was coming over today? I might be at my parents’ house until tomorrow, so I
will miss your friends if they’re still coming.
W: It’s not my friends. The tree service workers are the ones who will be here later.
Text 2
M: Miss, can I interest you in the seafood special tonight? It won’t start until nine, but it’s only $25,
half the usual price.
W: Oh really? There is only fifteen minutes to go.
Text 3
M: My interview is on Monday, but I only have the formal shirts I bought for the school dance.
W: These shirts are fine. We should go get you a trendier hairstyle.
M: You think so? I think all of these shirts are too colorful or casual.
Text 4
M: Who’s the person in Mr. Abar’s yard? Is he helping Mr. Abar to put in a new pool?
W: Oh, that’s Chris Powell. He’s helping to make a taller barrier, so people can’t climb into the yard.
I met him when I was cutting the grass.
Text 5
W: You looked great out there! I know you didn’t reach your goal, but you should be proud.
M: I wish I could do better, but I honestly think this is the best that I will ever do. It was a good race,
though.
Text 6
M: Isn’t this so exciting, Liz? We get to move to a new town next month! I’m so pleased about the
area, too. California’s weather is so beautiful.
W: I just want to get it over with. We should have just left this week. Dad is already out there
anyway.
M: We have to wait until Mom is ready to go. She wants to do things like transferring her bank
accounts and setting up her new driver’s license. Besides, she still has work to finish.
W: I guess so. I’m just glad she told her boss early on. Otherwise, we might be stuck here even
longer.
Text 7
W: What did you learn in class today, Tom?
M: We learned about how things move and the variations that make them move differently.
W: I thought you had geometry on Wednesdays. This sounds complicated for the first-year high
school students.
M: We usually do have geometry, but a special speaker came in today. Besides, it isn’t nearly as hard
as the chemistry class on Thursday.
W: So what did you learn?
M: Well, the scientist that came in told us all about how speed and weight change the way that things
interact with our world. But he was surprised when I asked my question about something else.
W: What did you ask about?
M: I remembered a long time ago when you and Dad told me about gravity. We were talking about
the moon and how people can jump really high there. So I asked him what the difference would
be between one object here and on the moon.
Text 8
M: If you want, you can sleep for a little while on the couch before we go. I know you had a long
day of work. I’ll make sure you don’t sleep too long.
W: I’ll pass up the sleep. But yes, it was especially long because we had our annual meeting. It’s not
usually a problem, but this one had us sitting for a long time.
M: Was it really boring?
W: Actually, it was pretty interesting.
M: Well, I have coffee already made if you want some. It is cold, if that’s OK.
W: Sure. I don’t normally have cold coffee, though. As long as it doesn’t have any sugar or milk in it,
I will enjoy it.
M: No problem. Here you go.
W: Thanks. Did John say what time his baseball game ended today? He’ll need to shower afterwards.
We can prepare a cup of sour coffee for him.
M: He said in about two hours from now he would be here. We could watch a film while we wait.
W: That’s OK. I’ll save my attention for the classical violinists we will see.
Text 9
W: Tell me how you have been feeling since you have recovered.
M: Well, doctor, I feel much better now. I don’t have headaches anymore and I’m beginning to get
my smell back. However, I still can’t taste anything!
W: That may take a while to get back. But I will take some blood work into the laboratory and we
can take a look. If you would like, I know of a treatment that is being experimented with. They
are looking for people with your condition.
M: Will it help fix my problem? Eating and drinking are my favorite things in the world.
W: It might, but you will need to go somewhere else to do the program. We don’t have anything like
that here at the hospital.
M: I don’t care. If it gives me my senses back, I’ll do it.
W: Well, taste is strongly tied with the sense of smell. The idea behind the experiment is to have you
working out your nose. You will start with strong smells and move to weaker ones in order to
train your nose to work again.
M: And that will help me taste things? Wouldn’t it be better to eat really strong food or drinks?
W: No, it wouldn’t. You need to gain the strength back little by little. Unfortunately, there is no
medicine that can cure this issue quickly.
Text 10
An ocean mystery — how the blackest fish in the deep sea are so extremely black — has been
solved in a study that began with a bad photograph. Dr. Karen Osborn said that she couldn’t get a
good shot — just shapes. Her detailed study of the animal’s “super-black” skin revealed that it traps
light. While it makes them difficult to photograph, scientists say it provides the best way of hiding.
There is, Dr. Osborn explained, nowhere to hide from enemies in the deep ocean, so this
“super-blackness” makes creatures almost invisible. The discovery could result in new super-black
materials, such as coatings(涂层) for the insides of telescopes or cameras. Several species appear to
have developed the same trick. Parts of their skin push away any light they don’t absorb, Dr. Osborn
said. It was her unsuccessful efforts to take good photographs of the creatures that inspired her to
take a closer look. “Every picture I took was really bad,” she said, “Then I noticed they had really
strange skin — they’re so black, and they suck up all the light.” This is the best way of hiding in the
deep sea. Living in the deep sea is like playing hide-and-seek. Being so black really helps these
creatures to survive. Her efforts to capture beautifully clear images of these species, all of which live
at ocean depths of more than 200 meters, eventually paid off. “It took a lot of special lighting,” she
admitted.
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